Maui County officials are still discussing the future use of the Olowalu site where wildfire debris is being temporarily stored.

Maui County Council members said the budget is aimed at catching up on development projects and social services after years of being focused on the wildfires and Covid-19.

Dozens of people turned out to testify on Mayor Richard Bissen’s effort to convert short-term rentals into long-term housing in a bid to ease the affordable housing crisis.

Moku‘ula, the royal compound where Native Hawaiian nobility resided for centuries, is buried beneath the burned remnants of a ballpark. Maui County officials hope to restore the Lahaina landmark over the next several years.

Council members at first wanted to trim the budget. Instead they added programs to help residents struggling to make ends meet.

After the 2023 fires destroyed much of Lahaina, Hawaiʻi vowed to improve prevention measures. More than two years later, the state has finally paved the way for that to happen.

Officials say they have worked to minimize traffic and address health concerns. But a December deadline for removal looms large.

Wildfire is the biggest threat facing Maui, according to the county’s draft Hazard Mitigation Plan but FEMA cuts could require a pivot to other funding sources.

Artist Matt Agcolicol creates his second street mural on the Valley Isle with the help of volunteers.

The Legislature funded minor workforce development initiatives but did not invest much in diversifying the local economy.